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News & Events

Archive News - September 2004

Thermal scanners team wins US Tech Museum Award

SINGAPORE, 9 September 2004 — The Infrared Fever Screening System team has won the 2004 Tech Museum Award (Health category). The team, comprising members from the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA) and its industry partners - Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited (ST Electronics) and Chartered Electro-Optics Pte Ltd (Chartered Electro-Optics), has won the award for adapting military technology in a creative way in developing the system which was used worldwide as the frontline defence against SARS during the outbreak last year.

Peter Giles, President and CEO of the Tech Museum of Innovation (the Tech) from San Jose, Silicon Valley, California, said, “The Tech Museum Awards uniquely recognise those who use technology to benefit mankind. By celebrating this spirit of innovation, The Tech seeks to inspire a new generation of socially conscious leaders who will leverage technology to address the myriad of challenges we face as a global community.”

Annually, the Tech honours 25 outstanding individuals or teams around the world for their pioneering work to benefit society through the use/development of new technologies. Five awards are given in each of the five categories: Health, Education, Equality, Economic Development and Environment. This year, some 320 applications were submitted from 80 countries.

Mr Richard Lim, DSTA's Chief Executive said, “To be selected as one of the five Tech Laureates, under the Health category, is a great endorsement of the work of Singapore’s defence technology community. The development of the IFss demonstrated how as a community, we rose to the challenge and made the critical difference in a time of crisis. We are proud and honoured that our innovation has contributed to the worldwide fight against SARS.”

Mr Seah Moon Ming, President of ST Electronics added, “The team developed the concept for the IFss into a working reality in the shortest possible time. The work was urgent and intense, a test not only of our technical knowledge but also of our innovativeness and responsiveness. It was both a thrilling and challenging time and we are glad to have responded to the national call in the fight against SARS. The Tech Museum Award is certainly a feather in the cap of the team and a great way to reward all the key people who have contributed to the development and deployment of the IFss.”

Mr Albert Loh, the President of Chartered Electro-Optics said, “The use of infrared technology in the IFss certainly shows how specialised technology primarily used for surveillance and military purposes can be adapted to suit other uses if approached with creativity. We are pleased that we succeeded in applying military infrared technology to device a tool to help Singapore and other countries detect feverish people and potentially help prevent the spread of the disease.”

The IFss team will receive the Award on 10 Nov 2004 (US time) at a black tie gala event attended by leaders from the Silicon Valley and delegates from the United Nations. An honorarium to be bestowed on one of the five laureates in each category will be announced and presented a cash prize of US$50,000 at the event.

Media Contact:

Evelyn Ong
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Defence Science & Technology Agency
Tel: (65) 6872 1867 / 9695 8831
Fax: (65) 6872-1462
Email: eveong@dsta.gov.sg

Magdalen LOH
AVP / Head, Corporate Communications
Singapore Technologies Electronics Limited
Tel: (65) 6413-1788
Fax: (65) 6484-8840
Email: lohlmm@stee.st.com.sg

Fact Sheet

INFRARED FEVER SCREENING SYSTEM (IFss)
The IFSS addressed the urgent need at the height of SARS for a fast, safe, user- and public-friendly means of mass screening febrile persons. As a person walks pass the IFSS, an infra-red camera captures the thermal emission from his skin and the processed video images are displayed in real-time with distinct colours set to indicate normal, feverish or fever temperature. Being non-intrusive and easy to operate, the IFSS was quickly deployed across Singapore and at airports across Asia as the first line of defence against cross-border spreading of SARS.

During the SARS outbreak in 2003, some 30 countries were affected and hundreds of lives were lost. To contain the spread of the virus, it was crucial to detect probable SARS victims early. In response to the government's call to exploit technology to contain the spread of SARS, Singapore's Defence Science & Technology Agency explored the idea of adapting readily available thermal imagers used in their military as a screening device since fever was found to be one of the earliest detectable symptoms of SARS.

In collaboration with Singapore Technologies Electronics and Chartered Electro-optics, a prototype of Infrared Fever Screening System was developed within a day. Extensive research, tests trials and calibration were carried out to implement a quick and non-intrusive way to screen people. In just a week, the IFss team verified its effectiveness, and the IFss was deployed at the nation's various checkpoints. Any probable cases identified were detected quickly and asked to undergo further medical examination. The IFss allowed nurses stationed at these checkpoints to return to the hospitals.

About The Tech Museum Awards
The concept for The Tech Awards and its five categories was inspired in part by The State of the Future report of The Millennium Project of the American Council for the United Nations University, which recommends that award recognition is an effective way to accelerate scientific breakthroughs and technological applications to improve the human condition. The Tech Awards were inaugurated in 2001, and have since recognised 75 Laureates for their pioneering work to benefit society through the use and/or development of new technologies. For more information on the awards and laureates, visit the official website at : www.techawards.org.

About The Tech Museum of Innovation
Located in the heart of downtown San Jose, Silicon Valley, Calif., The Tech Museum of Innovation, a non-profit organiszation, engages people of all ages and backgrounds in exploring and experiencing the technologies affecting their lives and aims to inspire the young to become innovators in the technologies of the future. For more information, visit the website: www.thetech.org or call (408) 294-TECH.

About Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA)
DSTA is Singapore’s national authority for defence science and technology. Set up as a statutory board on 15 March 2000 under the Ministry of Defence, DSTA provides leading-edge solutions for the defence and security of Singapore. DSTA has built-up expertise in programme management, system development and weapons acquisition in multi-disciplinary areas such as engineering, command and control, communications and computer (C4) systems, and building infrastructure.

About ST Electronics
ST Electronics is the electronics arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited. ST Electronics delivers innovative system solutions to defence, commercial and industrial customers worldwide. It specialises in the design, development and integration of advanced electronics systems, such as broadband RF & microwave communication, rail & traffic management, real-time command & control, training & simulation, intelligent building management, and information security and m-commerce solutions. ST Electronics applies leading edge technologies and design methodologies to meet the stringent requirements of customised electronics systems and solutions. It undertakes continuing research and development to help create cost-effective proprietary products at system and component levels providing quality solutions to customers. Please visit www.stee.st.com.sg.

About Chartered Electro-Optics
Chartered Electro-Optics was established in 1994 to provide innovative and cost effective electro-optics systems solutions to meet customers needs. The company designs manufactures and maintains electro-optics products. CEO’s product ranges from cooled and uncooled hand held thermal imagers, weapon night sights, thermal imager based surveillance systems for homeland security, border control, airports, sea ports and oil refineries.